eau-de-vie

A bartender pours a glass of eau-de-vie for a customer.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A strong alcoholic spirit: "eau-de-vie" refers to a clear, colourless fruit brandy, typically distilled from fermented fruit juice (such as pears, plums, or cherries) and often consumed as a digestif. The term is French for "water of life".

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He ordered a glass of eau-de-vie after dinner. (A strong fruit brandy served as a digestif.)
  • The pear eau-de-vie was fragrant and smooth. (A brandy made from pears, clear and strong.)

Advanced Usage

• "eau-de-vie de fruits": a specific type of fruit brandy.

  • She prefers eau-de-vie de framboise, made from raspberries. (A brandy distilled from raspberries.)

• "eau-de-vie de vin": a term sometimes used for brandy made from wine, though less common.

  • The eau-de-vie de vin was aged in oak barrels. (A wine-based brandy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eau-de-vie is a single compound noun; no direct variants exist in English, but related terms include:
  • Brandy (n): a general term for distilled wine or fruit spirits.

    • Brandy is often aged, while eau-de-vie is clear. (A comparison between aged and unaged spirits.)

Synonyms

• Fruit brandy: a spirit distilled from fermented fruit.
• Schnapps: a similar strong, clear spirit, often flavoured with fruit (though schnapps may be sweeter).

Phrasal Verbs

• No phrasal verbs are associated with "eau-de-vie", as it is a noun.

Related Idioms

• "Water of life": a poetic or literal translation of "eau-de-vie", used metaphorically for something life-giving or invigorating.
  • The old monk called the spirit "water of life" for its warming effect. (Referring to eau-de-vie as a revitalising drink.)